Huawei CFO's extradition could take time because of Trump and politics, her lawyer says
Vancouver(CNN Business) An attorney for Huawei's chief financial officer said Wednesday that the political nature of her extradition case means it will take a while to prepare a defense.
Meng Wanzhou appeared briefly in court in Vancouver. Her high-profile detention there has forced a diplomatic standoff between Canada, China and the United States, and complicated trade talks between Washington and Beijing.
Meng is waiting to find out whether she will be extradited to New York, where she faces federal charges related to an alleged scheme by Chinese telecom giant Huawei to circumvent US sanctions on Iran.
President Donald Trump himself has weighed in on Meng's case, and suggested he could intervene if he believes it would help the United States and China reach a deal. Meng's attorney on Wednesday alluded to Trump's comments in court, noting the case's "political character."
The date of her extradition hearing still hasn't been set. She's due back in court on May 8.
Meng is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei. She was released on bail of 10 million Canadian dollars ($7.5 million US) in December, but Beijing has continued to furiously call for her immediate release.
She and Huawei have denied the charges by the United States.
"This is a severe political incident," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said over the weekend.
The stakes have been particularly high for Canada, which said last week it would proceed with the extradition hearing.
Shortly after Meng's arrest, Chinese authorities detained two Canadians on suspicion of activities that endangered China's national security, and sentenced another to death for drug trafficking. The moves were widely viewed as retaliation for Meng's arrest despite denials from Beijing.
Canada has said it's just following the letter of its extradition agreement with the United States, and said it allowed the extradition process to go forward after a "thorough and diligent review" of evidence in the case.
Meng has indicated she's willing to go on the offensive.
She filed a civil lawsuit in Canada on Friday alleging that she was unlawfully detained and questioned for three hours, and that her electronics and luggage were illegally searched before she was told she was under arrest.
The US case against Meng is just one part of a broader pressure campaign against the company by the US government, which claims Huawei's technology poses a national security threat.
